One in five gay and lesbian people in Wales hide their sexual identity at work, according to a new study.

ONE in five gay and lesbian people in Wales hide their sexual identity at work, according to a groundbreaking new study.

The research shows that a large number report being the victim of harassment at work. And 25 per cent have been dismissed from a job because of their sexuality - twice the national average.

The study found that one in three gay people had been the victim of physical violence or bullying and that "children were also falling victim to the perpetrators of homophobic hate crime".

Suicide rates are also "much higher" among gay and lesbian people in Wales than the rest of the UK.

The Stonewall Cymru Counted Out survey, which will be launched at the National Assembly on Tuesday, is the first ever Wales-wide survey of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people.

The equality group, which only launched its Welsh branch in April, said that previously, information on gay and lesbian lives here was "virtually non-existent".

Its survey, coming ahead of legislation in December to outlaw discrimination at work on grounds of sexual orientation, is designed to provide a snapshot of LGB life in Wales.

The researchers found that in the under-25 age group there was a "relatively high level of physical violence and bullying in comparison to other national and local surveys". More than half had been bullied or hit.

They believe a substantial proportion of this victimisation takes place in school - 44 per cent of the group reported being a student.

"The high levels of physical victimisation in the Welsh sample are worrying given the evidence that suggests homophobic bullying has very serious consequences in terms of absenteeism from school, exam performance, mental health and suicide," the report states.

The study notes that research into suicide has linked it with difficulties experienced by some LGB youth when they are "coming out" - telling relatives, friends or work colleagues that they are homosexual.

"Those who had attempted or considered suicide sighted a lack of easily accessible information on 'gay issues', feelings of isolation and bullying in school as causal factors."

It was not just in the workplace that respondents reported discrimination.

Almost 20 per cent of older respondents reported being discriminated against by their GP or hospital health services, while a quarter of all respondents reported being harassed or discriminated against by the police.

Although there is some praise for a changing attitude among police - particularly in South Wales - towards crime against gays and lesbians, there is criticism that there is no such offence as "homophobic hate crime".

The report notes: "Given the potential negative consequences of homophobic hate-related victimisation it would be expected that such activities would be considered criminal."

Derek Walker, policy officer with Stonewall Cymru, said: "The study paints quite a worrying picture but we hope it means we can begin to address many of the problems Wales has on these issues.

"Some of the findings are surprising, particularly the number of people in Wales that have been dismissed from their jobs because of their sexuality.

"We regularly hear of physical attacks on people so we were prepared for that. However, work against homophobic hate crime varies a lot across Wales - a lot of work is done in Cardiff but in some rural areas it is as if it does not exist.

"So one of the main things we will be pressing for from the National Assembly is a homophobic hate crime officer to ensure these crimes are not forgotten."